


Through My Eyes

by ex17



Category: Minecraft (Video Game), 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia
Genre: BNHA X MCYT, DSMP, Dream Smp, F/M, Gen, M/M, MCYT X BNHA, Muffin Trio, Multi, Other, bnha - Freeform, clingy duo, dream team, mcyt - Freeform, sleepy bois inc - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-04
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-15 19:53:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,051
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29194869
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ex17/pseuds/ex17
Summary: There's doing good and thinking it's good.There's doing bad and knowing it's bad.And then there's doing  bad and believing it's good.Are you a hero? Or are you a villain?Perspective changes everything.~~~~~Mostly about DSMP characters and other CCs that I wished were whitelisted :DD
Comments: 4
Kudos: 20





	1. Eight Years' Worth

**Author's Note:**

> CCs' gamertags will be their hero names, and their real names will be used at home, in class, etc.  
> Some people might get confused, so here's a guide:
> 
> Clay - Dream  
> Dave - Technoblade  
> Nicholas/Nick - Sapnap  
> William/Will - Wilbur Soot

“Hey nerd.”

Clay immediately looked up from his math notes he’s trying to memorize. Today’s their final written exam. He wasn’t nervous, no. Just checking if he got the formulas right. For the third time in the past fifteen minutes. Okay, maybe a little nervous.

On any given day, and _especially_ today, Clay would’ve ignored him. The only reason he didn’t was the seriousness of the other’s tone.

It is known throughout their school that he and Dave only have three modes. Butting heads in a playful way, butting heads in a violent way, or butting heads with everyone else, in either ways, together. That’s not exactly the full picture, but they prefer the rest of the world didn’t know the amount of care they have for each other.

Their eyes lock for a moment, until his rival looks down and sighs. Hands in the pockets of an old varsity jacket, eyes darting around the floor, a couple of swallows, a bit of sweat in the forehead.

Something’s bothering him.

Clay warily looks around, his anxiety from reviewing getting replaced by worry for the burly boy in front of his desk. His childhood friend, Nick, was entertaining their classmates at the other side of the room, making figures out of small, carefully controlled flames erupting from his palms. Everyone’s distracted. Good.

Normally, Dave wouldn’t show such an apprehensive act in such a public place. Headstrong is the way he goes. Always with an aura of power, an intimidating energy flowing through him.

And rarely a face of distress, like the one he has now. Something that was never shown to anyone else, even to his family. A face only Clay gets to see.

A face only Clay can effect.

“We’re going to UA,” came the quiet voice, barely heard above the ruckus of their rowdy class. “Both Will and I.”

Of course. _Of course_ they’re going to UA. They both knew that already. High school was a topic they’ve been trying to avoid for years, but they knew it was going to happen eventually. This conversation was something they’re going to have at the end of the day. They only delayed the inevitable.

They tried their best not to talk about it, not to even _think_ about it. Clay didn’t know what to say.

“I see…” He returns his gaze to Dave, finding his long-time frienemy’s eyes on him, a silent despair deep within them. Clay flashes him a smile, both of them knowing it’s forced. “Congratulations. I’m guessing Philza gave a recommendation?”

Dave and William were popular before they were even born. After all, they’re the children of Philza, the Elytra Angel. Veteran pro hero, UA teacher, and simply put, fucking awesome. He had the strength and authority of any pro hero, but he has this “dad” vibe, an affectionate but stern side to him that he has for everyone. Even those older than him looks up to him as their somewhat father figure.

The two boys’ future was decided before they were born, just like other children from pro hero families. Prestigious elementary and middle schools, a recommendation to UA, and a job waiting for them in their father’s agency right after they graduate.

Dave could have anything handed to him in a silver platter if he asked for it, as long as it’s reasonable according to his father’s judgement. He grew up in sensible luxury, having to work for what he gets, but not as much as other children did.

Not as much as Clay had to.

“There are three slots for recommendation. As far as I know, only me and Will have been approved…” Dave shrugged, breaking eye contact once more.

“And?”

Clay’s stomach dropped. Surely not…

“There’s one more spot…”

No… He’s not…

“Your point is?”

Is he…?

“I’m answering a couple of questions wrong on purpose.”

Anger replaces worry, and soon Clay can feel his blood boil.

“No. You will not,” this shaky voice didn’t sound like his own.

There was a bit of red in the corners of his vision, his eyes staring straight at Dave’s with such intensity as he tries to regulate his breathing.

“Don’t you dare…”

But alas, he might as well be talking to the deaf. Dave will be true to his word. He knew that well enough.

Eight years ago, Clay’s rage would’ve been due to thinking that Dave was mocking him, “helping” him, subtly telling him that lowering his scores on purpose would be the only way Clay would surpass him. Five years ago it would’ve been from his rival not acknowledging their pact of doing their best to be better than the other. Three years ago, it’d be because he feels as though his friend didn’t believe in him.

But right now…

“Don’t you _dare_ sacrifice your own grades for _my_ sake,” his tone was walking the line between commanding and begging. He couldn’t help it. “If you flop, that recommendation can be easily disapproved.”

“There’s no point in being there if you’re not. When I said I’ll be fighting with and against you for the rest of our lives, I meant it,” Dave all but growled at him. “I know you can’t afford to have average scores. But I can. If you can’t go to UA, I won’t. I can easily enroll to whatever school you get a scholarship to.”

“What? You’ll just leave William behind?”

“I’ll leave anyone behind. But never you.”

Clay sighed in defeat. He didn’t like this, not one bit.

They’ve had eight years of rivalry, an understanding formed between two aspiring heroes-to-be. This connection runs as deep as his brotherhood with Nick, in a completely different aspect.

He really didn’t like this.

“Fine. Whatever.”

Dave simply nodded at him, and went back to his seat. Now that Clay thought of it, he wasn’t really asking for permission, looking for agreement, or even calling for a reaction. He just wanted to let him know that he’s gonna do it.

_I’ll leave anyone behind. But never you._

Clay didn’t like the guilt that those words unintentionally gave rise to.

He didn’t like that his friends will always stay…

...when he knows he would be able to leave everyone behind at the drop of a hat.


	2. Lunch Break

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CCs' gamertags will be their hero names, and their real names will be used at home, in class, etc.  
> Some people might get confused, so here's a guide:
> 
> George - Georgenotfound  
> Nicholas/Nick - Sapnap  
> Dave - Technoblade  
> Clay - Dream  
> Caroline/Cara - Captain Puffy  
> Jonathan/Schlatt - Jschlatt  
> William/Will - Wilbur Soot

Something definitely happened.

People often teased George for being "out of it." Labelling him "oblivious" and "living on another planet." He's fine with that. Like he cares about such trivial things, anyways.

Most of the time, he ignores things that he deems unworthy of his attention. As the rest of the class watched Nick's palmtop flame circus, he notices someone quietly making his way towards the other side of the room.

Dave and Clay were chatting in low voices, occasionally glancing around to check if someone's looking. This immediately caught his interest, and apparently Nick's as well. The pyrokinetic increased his output and exaggerated more, keeping the audience's attention away from the two boys talking in the other side of the classroom.

Whatever they were talking about must be serious. They looked like they were arguing - albeit Dave's rather passive face - and Clay was positively fuming by the end of it.

The bell rings, and Nick's little show abruptly ended as everyone scrambled back to their seats. Their eyes met for a moment, and he nodded his head towards Clay, earning a shrug in reply.

Seems like neither of them knew what was going on. They’ll ask him later.

Exam’s about to start.

[01001000]

Lunch time rolled in soon enough. Clay seemed considerably calmer as the three of them made their way to the roof.

He still seems to be distracted, enough not to notice Nick and George glancing at each other every so often, waiting for the other to start a conversation.

_You’re the best friend, you talk to him_. How George wished he had a telepathy quirk. This will be much easier.

He wants Nick to do the talking, but he doesn’t dare say such. Clay will question him instead if he speaks up. He didn’t want that. It wasn’t his place to talk.

His eyes finally got the point across, Nick begrudgingly sighed, catching the blonde’s attention.

“Hey Nick, something wrong?” he paused right before the top of the stairs.

“I should be the one asking…” Nick asked, he and George stopping in their tracks as well. “Something’s off. Mind telling?”

Clay looked at the two of them for a good few seconds before taking a deep breath. He turned and continued up to the end of the stairs, opening the door that leads to the rooftop.

“Let’s take this outside.”

Nick and George shared another brief look before following behind.

The only thing they knew about the situation was that this wasn’t about their trio. They knew that this was between Clay and Dave alone, so the two weren’t really expecting their friend to explain things. They were only going to remind him that whatever this was, he has their support and they will be there for him.

The three of them sat on the floor with their backs to the railings, Clay in the middle of the two. They let him gather his thoughts for a few moments, quietly waiting for him to speak up as the trio ate their packed lunch.

After what seemed like an eternity later, he finally spoke up.

[01100101]

**Meanwhile, at the cafeteria…**

“Fuck, I got tangents and secants confused,” he hit his head on the table, letting out a long groan.

“Who the hell checks notes _after_ the exam?” Cara rolled her eyes at him.

“Well, studying beforehand doesn’t really change things for you, does it?” Schlatt teased before taking a sip of ‘grape juice’ from a tumbler.

“At least I don’t do it DURING the exams, you fucking cheater,” she flicks a grain of rice at her twin brother. “We know there’s something in the cuffs of your sleeves.”

“I’m gonna lose my place to fucking _Gogy_ at this rate…” William whined, still not lifting his head up.

Dave chuckled quietly, listening in to the conversation as he ate his lunch of baked potatoes.

This was nice, just chilling with your circle of friends, talking about simple things like test scores and people you don’t like, not heavy decision-making that decides your whole future.

He had half the mind to tell the gang about his talk with Clay, but thought better of it. No way he’d tell his twin that he chooses a friend over family, even if it was true.

Speaking of twins, how this squad formed is rather amusing. Two pairs of twins who just happened to be in the same class. William and Schlatt just _clicked_ , the moment they met. Cara instantly joined in when her brother introduced Will, and Dave was just dragged along.

It was awkward at first, since he wasn’t very fond of cliques. He simply stood to the side as the other three cause chaos together, but they eventually broke the ice.

William was absolutely thrilled. Clay was the only person his brother considers a friend. The day he used that word on the Schlatt twins, the three of them tackled him to the ground in joy.

“Screw Gogy, dude,” Schlatt snorted. “You got a recommendation to UA. That’s more than he could ever achieve.”

“What’s the deal anyways? I get that he’s an airhead and all, but you guys don’t have to tease him so much…” Cara muttered.

“Puffy, have you _seen_ the guy? He’s a fucking creep, just staring at people like a goddamn stalker.”

“Like you don’t stare at Sally all the time,” Schlatt scoffed.

“That’s different!” William’s blush seared through his cheeks, and immediately became the fuel to teasing.

The conversation took an entirely different turn, Cara and Schlatt teasing William of simping on the school’s prettiest girl as he frantically denied their claims with beet red cheeks.

Dave didn’t really mind, it was actually quite entertaining to watch and listen to. Moments like these are something he’ll cherish forever, although he’d never tell that to the squad. They’d never cease to bring it up and embarrass him with it. But maybe he doesn’t mind that either.

“Hey, you guys.”

The three immediately went quiet and waited for him to continue. Dave doesn’t talk often, since he prefers to observe their antics instead.

“Yeah?” Cara prompted.

“You two better get into UA,” he directed to the twins. “I’m not planning on disbanding any time soon.”

_What a lie._

“Oh hell yeah! We’d KILL the entrance exam!”

“Fuck yes we are! We’re gonna graduate and start our own agency together!”

“We’re stuck together whether we like it or not!” William joined in. “That’s a promise!”

Dave laughed in amusement, trying to ignore the voices in his head telling him what a bad friend and brother he was.


	3. Mysterious Transfer Student

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CCs' gamertags will be their hero names, and their real names will be used at home, in class, etc.  
> Some people might get confused, so here's a guide:
> 
> Thomas/Tommy - TommyInnit  
> Toby/Tubbo - Tubbo  
> Clay - Dream

Droplets of rain fell upon the window, slightly distorting the view. A flash of light occasionally illuminates the grey-clouded sky, a low rumble of thunder following every now and then.

PE was cancelled, Tommy’s class having to stay inside for Quirk Theory instead. It bored the crap out of him, but he diligently took note of everything. He’d need all the info he can get.

In a world where most of the population have quirks of some sort, having none means _hell_.

Tommy didn’t have much friends, since no one wanted to be associate themselves with someone “quirkless”. Other kids avoided him, as if he were some kind of disease.

Adults didn’t help much, either. Bullying reports are nothing but useless paperwork that no one pays any attention to. They would look at him with pity but won’t lift a finger to change the situation. It pissed him off.

Childhood was a memory he’d throw away at a moment’s notice, but there was one thing that was definitely worth keeping. Or more like, someone.

“Hey man, are we still on today?” Tubbo tapped on his shoulder from behind. “Our wifi gets a bit wonky when it rains.”

Tubbo was the first person to ever show him indifference about being quirkless. They’ve been friends before Tubbo’s quirk manifested. When he found out that Tommy’s didn’t, it wasn’t that big of a deal to him.

He pointed out that he was friends with Tommy, and not the presence or absence of his quirk. Tubbo made him realize that quirks don’t define who you are, and it shouldn’t limit what you could be.

“We’ll see,” Tommy turned on his seat to face his friend. “If the rain doesn’t let up, we can just play tomorrow. But we gotta finish the iron farm before next week. We’ve been putting it off for almost a month now.”

“We’d get it done, don’t worry.”

[01110010]

Class was finally over. Tommy and Tubbo were talking animatedly as they made their way down the stairs.

Unfortunately, the rainfall only got heavier, so they decided to cancel their plans for this afternoon. Besides, exams were right around the corner. They really should be studying instead of playing video games.

They took their time at the lockers, and the entrance hall was pretty empty by the time they got there. The other students hurried to get home before they got caught in a storm that’s pretty much already formed.

There was one tall figure standing at a window, anxiously looking outside.

“Hey, isn’t that the transfer student in class A?” Tubbo nudged Tommy.

“The teleportation guy?” he squinted at the two-toned boy. “I think so. I don’t know. What are you doing?”

Tubbo went over to the other boy. He was average height, but he looked so short beside the towering transferee.

Now that he was closer, he noticed that not only was the boy’s hair divided in color, but his skin was too. The right half of his face was a dark grey, almost black, while the left was white as snow.

“Hello. Are you alright?” Tubbo craned his neck to look up at him. Their eyes met, and Tubbo had difficulty suppressing a gasp.

The transferee’s eyes were also differently colored. A sparkling emerald in the right, a bright ruby in the left, creating a dazzling contrast with his skin. He was simply breathtaking.

“Oh, um… I’m okay, just… waiting out the rain…” he shrugged, looking down at the brown-haired boy.

“My name’s Tubbo. We’re in the same year, I’m from class B,” he held out a hand which the other formally shook.

“Oh, call me Ranboo.”

“That’s a nice name. That guy over there’s my friend, Tommy.”

Tommy noticed Tubbo waving at him to come over, which he did, eyeing the other kid. He didn’t like how much taller the boy was, but he seems chill.

“Tommy, this is Ranboo, Ranboo, this is Tommy,” Tubbo introduced.

“Aren’t you going home yet?” Tommy inquired.

“It’s raining…” Ranboo slightly squirmed under the blonde’s gaze.

“Don’t you have an umbrella?”

“If I had, I’d be home right now.”

“Fair point,” Tommy laughed, taking out his own umbrella. “You can borrow mine. Just return it tomorrow.”

“What would you use?” Tubbo asked.

“Yours.”

“I left mine at home. I was gonna ask you to share.”

“Well shit.”

The umbrella was too small for three. Two people would fit, but just barely.

“You two could use it,” Ranboo suggested, feeling a little awkward. “It’s yours. I can just wait out the rain. Besides, why are you helping someone you just met?”

“Cause that’s what heroes do!” Tommy exclaimed proudly. “And no way we’re leaving you here. You can’t just “wait out the rain”. This is gonna be a full-blown storm by evening. If you don’t leave now, you’re gonna have to sleep here.”

“Or maybe we can call our parents to pick us up,” Tubbo threw in.

“My parents’ outta town,” Tommy reasoned out.

“I can ask mother dearest to give you a ride. What about you, Ranboo?”

The black and white boy was quietly looking away, standing as though he was trying to look as small as possible.

“I… don’t have… parents…” he murmured, looking a bit embarrassed.

An awful blanket of silence fell upon them.

“Oh… um…”

“We’re terribly sorry- we didn’t know-”

“It’s okay…”

“Are we making you uncomfortable?” Tubbo kindly asked.

“Not at all! It’s just… Aren’t _I_ making you uncomfortable…?” Ranboo glanced at them warily. “I mean… from what I look like… or-or…”

“What the hell dude! You look fucking cool!” Tommy crossed his arms indignantly. “Are people saying otherwise? Can they even _see_?”

“Yeah! You look awesome!” Tubbo agrees, aggressively nodding.

“You guys… it’s just that… people are always asking me… stuff… Why I look like this… what my quirk is…”

“To hell with quirks! Who cares?!” Tubbo groaned. “Quirks don’t define who you are. There’s more to people that just their quirks. If doesn’t matter what your quirk is! Inside, you’re still human, just like everyone else!”

“I…” the transfer student stares at him, speechless.

“It doesn’t even matter if you have a quirk or not! Look at Tommy! He’s doing great!”

Ranboo turned his head, looking at the blonde questioningly.

“I’m quirkless, but I don’t care,” he grinned as the other boy’s eyes widened at his statement. “People said I can’t be a hero, but I’m going to UA and shoving in their faces how wrong they were!”

“Fuck yeah!”

Ranboo watched in awe as the two cheered. Tommy’s dedication and optimism was impressive, and Tubbo’s views on society was inspiring.

Looking at them right now, they were just… incredible. Two youths full of passion and hope for the future. If they were gonna be the next generation of heroes, then the future’s in good hands.

So full of light and color… Ranboo sees a bit of his younger self in them. So soft and warm…

When was the last time he smiled like that?

[01101111]

The duo were picked up by Tubbo’s parents, who insisted to escort Ranboo as well. But he was going the other direction, so it wouldn’t really work out.

He ended up having to accept Tommy’s umbrella instead. It was already dark by the time he got to the orphanage.

The caretakers fussed over him being late, and after 10 minutes of scolding he was told to shower up and get ready for dinner.

The younger kids were causing chaos at the dining room when he entered, and the caretakers were shouting, trying to get them to behave.

He sat at the farthest side of the table with the other kids around his age, where it was quieter.

“Oh hey, Ranboo,” a blonde boy with freckles sat across him. “Why were you late?”

“Hi Clay.”


	4. False Hopes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CCs' gamertags will be their hero names, and their real names will be used at home, in class, etc.  
> Some people might get confused, so here's a guide:
> 
> Clay - Dream  
> Emily - Drista (made-up name)  
> Ranboo - Ranboo

Day 71.

The record’s officially broken.

It’s been 2 months, 1 week and 3 days since he’s been adopted by a nice lady well around her forties. Wondering whether or not he’ll break the 2-month record was replaced by wondering how many days would be added to the new one.

The woman was kind and caring, just like everyone else at first. He was skeptical. He didn’t want to open up to his new “mother.” It would be a pain if he were to grow affection towards those who adopt him, only for them to apologize as they gave him back to the orphanage a few weeks later.

He knew by experience.

He tried his best not to disappoint, God knows he did. But no matter what he does, people still found it difficult to accept him.

Is it because of his villainous appearance? Was he too quiet? Too shy? Was it his ridiculous fear of rain? Was he too messy? Too forgetful? Clumsy?

Oh, how he wished someone would just tell him what he did wrong. Although, to be fair, he never did outright ask.

He’s just so confused, thoughts running at a thousand miles per hour, thinking what would possibly be the problem. Every day he comes “home” anticipating a black car waiting for him, all his things packed up and placed in the trunk, one of the caretakers there to drive him back to the orphanage.

Day 71.

There it was.

The lady he lived with for the past two months couldn’t look him in the eye. She tried to tell him how sorry she was that it didn’t work out, and how she hoped he’ll find a better home.

He simply nodded and went inside the car.

He’s grown used to this, just accepting come what may. Hoping doesn’t change anything, so why even bother?

The two hour drive to the neighboring city was quiet. He didn’t feel like talking, and the caretaker didn’t have much to say.

She informed him that he’ll have to transfer schools, since they can’t keep giving him a ride to and fro his current one. And the orphanage funds were scarce as of now, so they can’t give him travel allowance either.

She also apologized that he wasn’t able to say goodbye to his friends.

He bit his lip before he can speak his mind. He didn’t make any.

He sighed as the car turned at a corner, familiar streets coming into view.

[01100010]

“Hey Clay! We’re gonna play Uno in the common room! Wanna join?”

His sister was loudly banging at the door for the third time this day, just like the annoying seven-year-old she was. She’s been trying to get him to leave his room recently, since he’s admittedly locking himself up for longer than usual. He knew she meant well, but it’s hella irritating.

“Quit it, Emily!” He yelled back. “I’m not in the mood!”

“You’re never in the mood!”

“Can’t you play without me? I gotta study for a quiz!”

“Fine! You’re such a pissbaby when you lose anyways!”

Clay could hear her heavily marching down the hallway and onto the stairs. He sighed in relief, leaning back on his chair.

“Finally, some goddamn peace and quiet…”

That didn’t last long. Less than thirty seconds later, Emily was back, tripping over herself as she rushed to frantically knock on his door again.

“CLAY! COME DOWN, RIGHT NOW!”

“Fuck off!”

“GO DOWNSTAIRS YOU DUMBASS! RANBOO’S BACK!!”

In one swift movement he was up on his feet, slamming the door open.

“I _swear_ if this is a trick-” he began, only to be quickly interrupted.

“It’s not! Come on!”

Emily grabbed his arm and was practically dragging him down the stairs. After almost falling over twice, they arrived in the common room.

Their friend was sitting on the floor, getting flocked by the little ones. They were animatedly chattering about the various things they did while he was gone. Some of them were playing with his hair, which was significantly longer than it was when Clay waved him goodbye through his bedroom window.

It was such a sight to see, beautiful even, if it weren’t for the circumstances of Ranboo’s return.

Soon, caretakers were ushering the children away, giving Ranboo some much-needed breathing space.

He was in a disheveled state, still in his now-wrinkled uniform and messy shoulder-length hair, half white half black. He had a big smile planted on his face, a special mask to be put on only for the little kids. The kind that never reach the eyes.

“Still good with children, huh?” Clay grinned, helping him to his feet.

“Just trying to preserve that little sparkle, before they grow dull like ours did.”

“The fuck are you two talking about?” Emily frowned up at them, hating the fact that they’re nearly two feet taller than her.

“Hopefully something you’ll never have to know,” her brother picked her up, despite her retorts. “Your big bro’s gonna be a hero one day, and I will make sure _your_ sparkle doesn’t go out.”

“I don’t think it’s a sparkle though. More like a firework fired out of a rocket launcher,” Ranboo joked.

“You teenagers are so weird. Imma go play with the others.”

The girl hopped down and ran off.

“I wasn’t sure you’d come back this time,” Clay turned to face the other orphan, whose smiling front dropped the moment Emily left.

“Eh. They always return me.”

“Not really sure if that’s better or worse than not getting chosen at all.”

Ranboo hummed in response as he picked up the luggage-bag that contained everything he ever owned. Aside from the school stuff, which were in the backpack that Clay just stored away with his quirk.

He focused on the top of the stairs and teleported, taking special effort to bring the trunk with him, as his friend manually followed. Ranboo opened the door to his old room, the one directly in front of the blonde’s.

Clay took the bag out of its slot and placed it on the bed. The oreo boy thanked him for the help and said that he’d be retreating for tonight. They gave each other a small wave as they closed their respective doors.

After a few minutes of blankly staring at his notes, Clay decided to lie down early as well, blankly staring at the ceiling instead.

He really pitied the other boy. A baby only a couple of days old, left in an orphanage because his parents didn’t like his appearance. Getting adopted for a few months and returned for the same reason.

Why pick him in the first place? Clay knew the answer to that, all too aware of how people’s minds work.

They chose to adopt him out of that weird fascination that humans have for the unique. Once that initial reaction wears off, they get conscious of how people stare at them as they walk together in a public place. People don’t like getting stared at.

Ranboo didn’t have much friends their age either. He’s not very good at socializing, and Clay’s pretty sure he low-key doesn’t even want to.

He grew up moving from city to city, getting adopted by various families, but always returning to the same orphanage. There wasn’t much time to get acquainted with a neighbor, or someone he met at school.

And even if there was, he refused to do so, knowing they’ll just get separated when his current foster parents eventually grew tired of him.


	5. Second Place

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CCs' gamertags will be their hero names, and their real names will be used at home, in class, etc.  
> Some people might get confused, so here's a guide:
> 
> William/Will - Wilbur Soot  
> Dave - Technoblade

William Watson, older of the Elytra Angel’s twin sons, takes role-plays way too seriously, and is self-diagnosed with superiority/inferiority complex.

Having a twin means you’ll get compared all the fucking time. People expect you to be exactly the same, and that’s really tiring.

For some reason, they would also put you in the same class every single year. People would actually entertain themselves from the sidelines, wanting to see which of them is better than the other in a certain aspect.

When the twins developed their quirks, Dave received considerably more attention than Will, since he discovered it earlier. His ability to turn into a big scary humanoid boar got him idolized by the other kids.

They looked at William immediately after, expecting him to do the same. But nothing happened.

That was his first taste of disappointed, both his and other people’s towards him.

William kept trying the whole day, to no avail.

He sulked as his brother got praised when they got home. Even more so when their father said that maybe he’s just a late-bloomer, in a failed attempt to cheer him up.

For three days, he hadn’t talked to Dave out of spite. After his twin reached out and the two of them had a long (and emotional, on Will’s part) conversation, they started working together to figure out his quirk.

Weeks pass, desperation and paranoia engulfed William as they didn’t reap any results. What if he didn’t have a quirk? He won’t be able to become a hero with Dave. The media would go crazy if _Philza’s son_ turned out to be quirkless. The shame…

His dad got him a doctor upon his request, who then explained about the pinky toe joint and told him that he did have a quirk, possibly a mental emitter quirk. He just has to discover how it’s activated.

By this time, Philza joined in his little sessions with Dave, personally give both boys proper training.

Years pass, and the two went to grade school. Most kids had their quirks by then. William didn’t. He gave up on it.

Although no one would dare say a thing for fear of his brother’s wrath, they all undoubtedly looked down on him.

He didn’t really want to rely on Dave too much. Both of them have their own identity, and people should learn to see them as individuals. It doesn’t help that they’re together all the time.

When the opportunity presented itself, Clay arriving in Dave’s world as a life-long rival, William began to distance himself ever-so-slightly.

Choosing extra classes came along, and Dave decided to attend Advanced Literature for extra credits, in order to get higher grades than his orphan competitor.

William wasn’t very interested. Advanced Literature sounds fun, but joining would be counterproductive. He didn’t like sports that much, and he doesn’t feel like doing arts and crafts.

So he opted for Music classes instead.

He didn’t expect how enjoyable it was.

None of the other kids there liked a quirkless boy like him, but he doesn’t give two fucks about that. He wasn’t there for them.

He was there for the music. How it’s magically able to convey one’s deepest thoughts and feelings through heavenly sounds.

After a long time in a dark place and giving up, he finally found that beacon of light that made him keep going.

Taking that Music class was just one step in making his world light up again.

He’s got the looks, the humor, and the talent. Soon, most of the other kids didn’t care that he had no quirk. He became famous.

The next year he decided to kick it up a notch, asking his father for a vocal tutor. He wasn’t quite sure about his singing voice, so he only ever sang to himself.

After three years of believing he had no quirk, during their first tutoring lesson, he made the discovery that would change his life forever.

As he tried to imitate his tutor’s vocalization, the man went into a trance, slack-jawed and eyes glazed over. William freaked out at the sight, freezing in fear. The moment his humming stopped, the tutor snapped back into reality, fuzzy-brained and confused.

They immediately informed his father and brother, who excitedly tested it out.

The ability to mind-control whoever hears him sing. He finally found his quirk.

[01110010]

Over the years, William managed to control his quirk activation, allowing him to sing without mind-fucking his audience.

He became popular, despite being considered second-place beside his brother, who was fighting an orphan for the title of first. Which makes him third.

It used to be a big deal to him, until he met the Schlatt twins in middle school.

Neither cared about grades as long as they pass. They didn’t care about rankings either. You don’t see that often in a prestigious school. Their antics rubbed off on William after some time.

His views on his over-competitive environment changed drastically, and he found himself being apathetic about getting compared to Dave.

Jonathan and Caroline taught him to let loose, to live a little. Neither of them gave a fuck about how other people perceived them as twins. They just have fun and blend in with the crowd.

William realized how much happier he was at the sidelines, compared to the time he was falling apart trying to chase the spotlight.

He joined everyone else at spectating his brother’s little feud with Clay, finally understanding why others found it very entertaining. There was that certain atmosphere you feel around them. An air of indescribable _power_. Their attitudes, their chemistry… it was breathtaking.

He’s not the person for that kind of light. He’s fine with this, at peace with his current position in life. If anything, he’s proud to be second to the great tidal wave that is his twin brother.

He felt better than ever.

Exam results were out this afternoon. The corridor of the third-year classrooms were packed with students, craning their necks to get a glimpse of the rankings posted on the announcement board.

Even the freshmen were there, wanting to know who between Clay and Dave would be graduating valedictorian, number one in their entire school.

He’s not gonna lie, he’s curious too.

The school changed up the physical test this year. Instead of one-on-one matches, it was a rescue mission with a teacher acting as a villain. He guessed the staff wanted to keep the past “Epic End-of-Year Battles” tied.

“Oh my God… are you seeing this?”

“For real?”

“Holy shit…”

“Woah, that was unexpected…”

“Fuck, dude…”

William finally got close enough to see the list, wondering why the crowd reacted like that. What was unexpected?

He froze, staring with eyes wider than ever before.

**_END OF YEAR EXAMS | OVERALL RANKINGS | YEAR 3_ **

**_Clay Anderson_ **

**_William Watson_ **

**_Dave Watson_ **

****


	6. Red and Blue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CCs' gamertags will be their hero names, and their real names will be used at home, in class, etc.  
> Some people might get confused, so here's a guide:
> 
> Zak - Skeppy  
> Darryl - BadBoyHalo

“Dang it, Skeppy.”

Honestly? Worst midnight hide and seek partner, ever. The tiniest glimmer of light would reflect on the diamonds on his skin, a problem he knew very well, yet refused to do anything about. How long would it have taken him to wear a hoodie at least?

Here they are in the dark of the night, behind a bush somewhere in the school garden, and most definitely seen by that guard when the flashlight’s beam landed on their hiding place.

“Well fuck.”

“Language.”

[01101001]

“Welcome back to another episode of ‘The Misadventures of Zak and Darryl’, season three.”

The two boys stood in front of the principal’s desk the next morning, one obviously not giving a damn and the other with his head bowed in shame.

This wasn’t the first time they ended up here after Zak decided to do something incredibly risky and stupid on a whim, with Darryl getting dragged along, trying and failing to talk him out of it.

“May I ask why you two were sneaking around the school at 11 PM?”

“Ghost hunting.”

“ _Ghost hunting_ ,” the old man sighed. “You already know by now what comes next, right?”

“Three days cafeteria cleanup duty under the school janitor’s supervision,” Zak repeated the age-old sentence placed upon them every time then landed in this office. They’ve grown used to it after years of serving the same “punishment.” So much so that it didn’t feel like one anymore.

And the principal knew that.

“Look boys,” he leaned back on his chain, clasping his hands together on top of his desk. “I’m gonna be honest with you two. I’ve been on the job for decades, seen generations upon generations of students come and go.

“I’ve seen frats and gangs and duos just like you. You’ll be graduating in a week’s time, and I doubt that UA will allow this kind of behavior. One ought to have fun from time to time, so I’m letting this one pass.”

The boys stare at him in mixed shock and confusion. The old man had a mysterious glint in his eye.

“What’s the catch…?” Darryl asked carefully. He was getting nervous.

“Don’t worry, it’s doable enough,” the principal waved off his reaction. “It’s quite simple, really. I expect something big for this year’s graduation ball. To say it in the modern language…”

He laughed in a slightly unsettling way.

“Let’s end this year with a bang.”

[01101110]

“What if we prank everyone at once?”

“We could, but is it possible with just the two of us?”

“Depends on what prank we’re gonna do.”

The young lads were walking home together later that day. They stopped by at a convenience store for a while to but themselves ice cream. A tradition they’ve been doing since their elementary days. Zak already had his chocolate popsicle in hand, waiting for Darryl to pick.

“Spike the drinks, maybe?”

“A hundred teenagers with quirks in a single area,” Darryl deadpanned, finally settling on a vanilla swirly cup. “That’s a disaster waiting to happen.”

Zak shrugged, backing down on the idea. He paid for both of them at the center and left the convenience store together. They ate as they continued on their way, quietly thinking of what they could do for the principal’s challenge.

The people they meet were often surprised that they were friends, even more so when they find out for how long.

They were just so _different_ from each other. Almost everything they liked were the opposite of the other’s. Zak was rough and passionate, Darryl was kind and shy. A boy born for spotlight and a creature of the night. Although, over the years, they had rubbed off on each other in some ways. Zak can lay low if the situation calls for it, and Darryl got more confident on being on-stage.

Some of the few things they shared a liking for were dogs. Zak got his own sometime during their freshman year, which Darryl named Rocco. Good thing, because Zak was bad at names and was about to name him Jif, after the peanut butter.

Darryl absolutely adored the white fluffy puppy and even joked about dognapping him.

Zak bought him three puppies the next day.

He was the type of rich kid who’ll mindlessly throw money at people with lower status. That behavior of his was often received as nothing but flaunting how well-off his family was, but honestly? He just likes giving away his cash to random people who might need it.

“How about we redecorate the whole venue?” Darryl thoughtfully said out loud. “The ball’s gonna be blue themed, right?”

“Red streamers everywhere~” Zak grinned, liking where the conversation’s going.

“Just streamers?” his friend laughed. “We gotta be more creative if we were to impress the principal.”

“Oh, we doing this all out. List down what we need. I’ll pay for everything.”

[01100101]

**Night of the Graduation Ball...**

The look in the student’s faces were _priceless._

The walls of the dance hall were repainted a muted red, with intricate vines curling and twisting in various directions. There were some “vines” made of construction paper hanging down from the ceiling in different lengths.

There were more of those scattered everywhere on the floor, and the baby blue curtains on the windows were replaced with velvety maroon.

The white table cloths were swapped with red silk, and there were no candles on the holders, since everything was covered with something easily flammable.

None of these decorations were here three days ago, when the students had their last dance practice.

A couple of them knew what was going on, specifically the school council. Zak and Darryl took great lengths to change the program and emcees assigned, in order for their plan to succeed. Thankfully the council was nice enough to relent – though some of them did charge Zak for “additional fees”. Not that he minded.

The school staff were in this too, the principal letting them ask their teachers for help, although the old man himself wasn’t let on the plan.

The student’s clothes were strikingly contrasting against their environment, some of them even questioning whether they were supposed to be in blue. But everyone were in different azure shades, including the teachers (as to not raise suspicion).

As one goes further inside, the scarlet vines grew thicker, some even sprouting red flowers and buds. It all leads up to a large crimson egg in the middle of the stage, 9 feet tall and covered in vines. The crowd gazed at the strange object in wonder, although none dared get closer.

Unbeknownst most of them, save the school council and staff, it was light and hollow, divided in half with a hinge at the back. And inside were two boys who disappeared right after the graduation proper, without anyone noticing.

“You ready?” Zak whispered, wearing an expensive blue and white suit, wireless mic turned off in hand.

Darryl stood in front of him, adjusting the cuffs of his black and red tuxedo, picking up his own mic from the floor.

“Are you?” he cheekily grinned.

“Let’s get this show on the road~!” Zak smiled as they opened the egg, stepping out to greet the exclaims from the mind-blown crowd.

**Author's Note:**

> Also uploaded in Wattpad:  
> https://www.wattpad.com/story/257401853-through-my-eyes  
> (might get updated there earlier)


End file.
